Frontline corona warriors in Haryana include 22.5k sanitary workers: Govt

The frontline warriors battling against the Covid-19 spread the include as many as 22,439 sanitation workers, working in all 87 municipalities to ensure cleanliness across Haryana, the state government said on Wednesday.

There are many departments fighting along with the Health Department round-the-clock against the obstinate pandemic and the Urban Local Bodies Department is one among them, said an official spokesperson.

The responsibility of the Urban Local Bodies Department has increased manifold in this hour of crisis, he said.

He said in an earlier decision taken by the state government, municipalities' employees, who were to retire on March 30, have been given an extension for a month to ensure the availability of essential services to the citizens in view of the Covid-19 spread, so that the people do not face any problem.

He said while this department is providing basic facilities like sanitation and drinking water in urban areas, it is also looking after the arrangements of food and shelter for thousands of people staying at the shelter sites established in urban areas.

In Haryana there are currently 87 municipalities under the department, including 10 municipal corporations, 19 municipal councils and 58 municipal committees, he said, adding the state government has released an amount of Rs 288.92 crore as a grant to them.

He said 22,439 sanitation workers are working in all 87 municipalities of the state are providing their services across the state.

At present, 615 km of roads are being cleaned daily by more than 25 mechanical sweeping machines in the state and 95 to 100 percent of the garbage is being lifted daily from the municipal areas.

Apart from this, 625 kilograms of used masks etc from the municipality areas are being disposed off per day through authorized bio medical waste disposal agencies, he said.

Spray for sanitization purpose is being done regularly at bus stations, railway stations, government offices and other public places to prevent the spread of the disease.

Sanitization is being carried out in all municipal areas. So far, spraying has been done in 1,875 public places and 1,359 community and public toilets. Adequate facilities of masks, gloves, soaps etc. are being provided for the personal safety of the employees engaged in cleaning and spray work, he said.

He informed that control rooms have been set up in all 87 municipalities and helpline numbers have been issued.

People are constantly being made aware of how to protect themselves from COVID-19, he said.

The spokesperson said the district administration is coordinating with the staff of municipalities, elected members, local welfare organizations and other social organizations to ensure supply of essential commodities like vegetables and ration to the local residents.

So far, 5,28,285 families have been supplied one week of dry ration at a time through various social, commercial and industrial institutions in collaboration with the district administration.

Apart from this, food has been provided to 90,68,128 needy persons so far. For this work, 556 community kitchens have been set up in the state in collaboration with the district administration, he added.